Gasoline pump



Jan. 10, 1933 R. B. WHITMAN GASOLINE PUMP Filed March 511951 ATTORNEYS l,laterxtecl Jan. v 1933 PATENrorFCE I ROGER B. WHIEMAN, NEW HYDE PARK, NEW YORK GAs'oLINE PUMP Application led March 5, 1931. Serial No. 520,288.

Important objects of the present invention are, to provide a novel gasoline pump with a casing in the form of an elephant having a exible proboscis through which the gaso- 5 line is conducted from the pump, the proboscis being capable of swinging in any direction for convenient discharge of the gasoline into an automobile tank or other receptacle; to provide such a pump casing designed for w fitting over a pump of standard form; to provide such a casing designed to permit convenient operation of the pump from the exterior of the casing and to render the pump discharge meter easily readable.; to provide a combination of such a casing with a pump together with a discharge hose leading from the outlet of the enclosed pump outward through the proboscis; to provide such a combination wherein the discharge hose is eX- 2@ Atensible and retractible -through the proboscis; to provide for automatic retraction of the discharge hose inward through the proboscis when the hose nozzle is released; to provide the proboscis with a resilient structure permitting free iexure in all directions and capable of maintaining its shape and returning it to a normal, non-obstructing position when released; and to provide the casing with other desirable features of design which will appear hereinafter. Y Y

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the pumpand casing mounted in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the casing partly in section;

Fig. 3 an enlarged section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 a vertical transverse section taken through the top of the casing showing the '40 latter modified for a dierent location of the dials of the pump meter.`

The casing designated l, is shown as mounted over an upright gasoline pump P of a standard form customarily employed at gasoline Vfilling stations. The casing is in the form of a seated elephant, and comprises a hollow, rigid main section 2 forming the body, limbs and head of the elephant and a iiexible tubular hose concealing and projecting section 3 in the form of a trunk or proboscis. In the present instance the pump is shown as mounted upon a flat curbing C separating two driveways, and the figure of the elephant is made rather narrow to avoid overhang from the curbing. The seated posture of the elephant best accommodates the upright pump.

At its under side the casing has an opening 4 for tting it over the pump and said openin g is surrounded by a flat flange 5 which 50 seats upon the curbing or othersupport and is bolted or otherwise secured. At the back of the elephant the casing is provided with a door 6 of material size hinged to the casing,

as at 7, and affording access to the pump and other parts, to be described hereinafter. In the present instance the door is formed and marked to simulate a blanket upon the back of the elephant. The form and location of the door may be varied however.

A gasoline pump of the type shown is provided with a meter having two dials located at opposite sides of the pump near the top thereof, and indicating hands cooperating with sai-d dials to indicate the volume of gasoline discharged from the pump. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing,'the meter dials 8 are carried by the casing section 2 and are mounted at opposite sides of the elephants head, the 89 meter shaft 9 being extended to reach the dials and bearing the indicating hands 10. The pump also has a manual operating crank 1l and one side of the casing section 2 has an aperture through which the crank shaft l2 extends, the crank being conveniently mounted upon the shaft, outside of the casing.

The hose concealing and protecting section 3 comprises a tapering, tubular section 13 90 of rubber or other suitable flexible, and preferably resilient and water-proof material. At its upper end said section is fitted around an annular iange 14 formed upon the head portion of casing section 2, and is secured in any suitable manner. Said flange 14 defines an aperture through which the tubular section communicates with the interior of the casing body. The-union between the said section and the body of the casing may be 10 varied however. Fitted within tubular section 13 is a tapering s iral spring 15 which maintains the shape o the trunk and gives it a desired resilience. In the present instance this spring extends throughout the entire length of section 13 but in some cases a shorter spring may be suilicient. A rigid sleeve or ferrule 16 is bound to the outer end .of the tubular section and forms a guide for the pump discharge hose 17.

Within the top portion of the casing are two pulleys 18 for training the hose 17. In the present instance these pulleys are supported by a bracket 19 mounted uipon the pump. They may, however, be supported by the easing section and, if desired, other suitable means may be employed for training the hose. The hose is shown as an extensible one normally having a considerable length of slack within the casing and operatively engaged by a retracting pulley 20. Pulley 20 is supported by an arm 21 pivoted to the casing as at 22. The hose is connected to the pump outlet 23, trained downward around the pulley 20, upward over pulleys 18 and outward through the length of the tubular trunk and the ferrule 16 through which it is freely slidable. Attached to the outer end of the hose is a nozzle 24 havin a stop flange 25 to abut the ferrule 16 and hmit the retraction of the hose. The hose is retracted by the weight of the pulley 20 and its supporting arm. In some cases the reach of the flexible trunk may be considered sullicient and the extensible hose feature may be omitted.

In filling the tank of an automobile or other receptacle with gasoline-the nozzle 24 or the trunk, is grasped and the latter is flexed in any direction necessary for the nozzle to reach the receptacle. If the reach of the trunk is insufficient, the hose is pulled out through the trunk to the required extent. Preferably the nozzle has a hook-like projection 26 for anchoring in the filling opening of the receptacle to hold the. nozzle in place and the hose extended. Having so connected the nozzle, the pump handle or crank 11 is operated and the meter dials are read from either side of the casing. At the conclusion of the filling operation the nozzle is detached from the receptacle and the hose-retracting means is permitted to draw the hose inward Athrough the trunk until the nozzle stop 25 ahuts the ferrule 16. Then, uponl release of the trunk, the spring 15 will swing it into normal, pendant position, where it is out of the way. The flexible, tubular section in the form of a trunk forms a protecting and coneenling means for the length of gasoline hose which is usually free and ordinarily is exposed at the side of the pump. The tubular lsection is large at its upper end and tapers toward the ferrule 16 at its outer end. This permits the trunk to be swung in any direction and moved about freely in use without binding the hose on the interior of the section. The interior arrangement of the spring protects it and at the same time provides a means for returning the tubular section or trunk to its normal position with respect to the casing; and because of its flexible construction the normal position of the tubular section may be varied in order to adapt the device for the desired use and to suit the desired position of the pump.

It will be seen that I have provided a gasoline pump apparatus which is `interesting and ornamenta and capable of convenient operation. While I have shown and described. a satisfactory form of m invention,

I do not wish to be limited strictly to this disclosure but reserve the right to make such changes as will lie within the scope of the claims. scribed the invention in connection with a gasoline pump, it is capable of advantageous use in connection with other fluid dispensing means.

In Fig. 4 is shown a modification of the invention wherein the meter dials 8a are directly carried by the pump in the usual manner, and the easing section 2 has observation apertures 27 in its opposite sides and registering with the dials. These apertures may have transparent panels or lenses 28.

What I claim is:

1. A gasoline pump comprising a measuring pump and a casing surrounding and enclosing said measuring pump, the top portion of the casing extending above the top of the measuring pump and provided with a downwardly and forwardly projecting opening; a hollow; conically shaped, flexible member Also, while I have shown and del ais secured to the casing over said opening and provided with an opening at its lower end; a ose from the measuring pump adapted to extend through the flexible member and said open end and provided with a nozzle; and means .for preventing the nozzle from being drawn through said end opening into the flexible member.

2. A. gasoline pump comprising a measuring pump entirely enclosed in a casing, a portion of the casing provided with a downwardly and forwardly extending o ning central of the front of the casing, a exible conical hose concealing and protecting member secured to the casing over said opening, said member comprising a conically coiled spring covered with ilexlble water-proof material, a ferrule secured to and providing an open end at the lower end of said flexible member, a nozzle supported by said ferrule, and a hose within the casing and extending through the flexible member from the measuring pump to said nozzle.

3. The gasoline pum as in cla-im 2, wherein said hose is longer an the flexible member and may be drawn out through said ferrule opening, and means within the casing extending from the measuring pump through said flexible member and provided with a nozzle, a ferrule surrounding an opening at the lower end of the flexible member through which the hose ma be drawn, pulleys mounted within the casing and adapted to direct said hose to the center of the casing and through saidexible member, vand means within the casing cooperating with said pulleys for retracting said hose. y

5. A gasoline pump comprising a measuring` pump enclosed in a casing; said casing being provided at its upper forward portion with an extension with an opening at the front, a flexible conically shaped member secured to the extension portionover said openv ing, said flexible member being provided with an opening surrounded by an annular ferrule at its lower end, a hose of greater length than the length of the flexible member connected at the upper end of the pump and extendin through said member and the ferrule, sai hose being provided with a nozzle having means to engage the ferrule to prevent retracting the nozzle into the flexible member, pulleys within the head of the casing above said pump for directing the hose to the front central portion of the casing and through said flexible member, a hose-retracting floating pulley riding in a. loop of the hose, and means for supporting said floating.

pulley within the casing for vertical motion therein at the rear of the pump as the hose is drawn out and retracted over said directing pulleys.

6. The gasoline pump as in claim 5, wherein the measuring pum is provided with a dial and the surroun lng casing is s aced' from the measuring pum and provide with an opening registering with the said dial.

7. A gasoline pump comprising a measurn ing pump, a casing surrounding and enclosing said pump, the upper portion of the casing being provided with a downwardly and forwardly projecting ortion having an opening at its lower en a hollow, conical downwardly ta ered hose protecting and concealing mem r secured to the lower end of the said casing extension and provided with an opening at its lower end; means to render said hollow member flexible and resilient and to hold it in its normal hose holding position and permitting it to be flexed in any direction for use; a hose connected to the measurin pump and extended through the said exi le member and provided with a nozzle; and means for preventing the nozzle from being drawn through the end opening into the flexible member.

. 8. A gasoline pum as claimed in claim 7,

wherein said hose is onger than the hollow, iexible member and may be drawn out through -the said ferrule opening, and means within the casin for yie ding y retracting the said hose an normally maintaining the nozzle in contact with said ferrule.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

ROGER B. WHITMAN.

f ss

vas` 

